by Jaclyn Weist
She waved her hand dismissively. “Nothing. They’re none of my concern. But if you don’t cooperate, bad things might happen to them. And in this world, we have much more imaginative ways of making someone pay for what they’ve done.”
I had to do something that she wouldn’t expect. There were no chandeliers, so I couldn’t pull those down. I pulled on the tapestries, but some kind of force held them to the wall, the guards stood at attention so I couldn’t make them trip. I was good and stuck. Unless I could get her to make me a deal. I had to rely on my luck the good old-fashioned way.
“All right. I’ll play. You choose a game. Any game. A game of chance is the best way to show how my luck works.” I yanked some more luck from a few of the guards behind her throne so she wouldn’t notice as they fell to the ground.
“We don’t believe in games of chance. Show me something now, or you will be imprisoned until I’m hungry for magic again.”
“Unless you help me find a game of chance, I can’t show you anything.”
Queen Oona signaled to her guards. “I’m bored. It’s time to head for the portal. Our time to reign over both the earth and the fairy world has come. Prepare my chariot.”
“Wait, Your Majesty.” It was the first time Jakob had spoken, and it seemed to surprise the queen.
She turned to him. “What?”
“Dear, we have not feasted yet. You know how … upset you get when you have not eaten. Maybe we should have a banquet before we go. And we can invite our guests.” He gestured toward me.
She stared at him before snorting. “Eat dinner with the very person I mean to defeat? Are you mad?”
Jakob shrugged. “Well, would she be any fun if you just knocked her over with one swipe? Or do you want to show your strength? That is what you like to do, is it not?”
The queen glanced between the two of us before sighing. “Very well. We shall have a feast. Ethan! Find a room for this girl and her friends. Dress them up. We don’t want any of these … human clothes at our feast.” She dropped back into her chair.
Ethan pulled me away from the queen and guided me down a long hallway. He didn’t speak until we were several rooms away.
“You’re very lucky the king was there to save you.” He let go of my arm and shoved his hands in his pockets.
“Yeah, I guess so. Although I probably could’ve escaped anyway.” So Jakob really was the king. Man, I was in such a mess. I hated it. How was I supposed to defeat the queen if she had taken away everything I normally used to fight?
Ethan was silent for a moment. “Maybe. But don’t underestimate the queen.” He stopped at a door and opened it. “Here you go. Beth will be here soon, and Jared will be next door. Servants will bring you a few dresses to choose from. I wouldn’t keep the queen waiting. She’s anxious to get going.”
“What about my mom?” I wasn’t about to go have a feast if she was stuck in a prison somewhere.
Ethan looked over his shoulder. “I wouldn’t push it with the queen. Your mom is to be used as leverage, but I’ll make sure she has food.” He left without saying good-bye.
The room he’d taken me to was large and white, with many windows. If someone were to tell me that this was what the fairy queen’s castle looked like, I would’ve laughed. I would’ve pictured something like the home Henry lived in. Made in the trees, or something more natural. This was like the castles I had seen in Europe, although more modern.
Small knickknacks sat on tables and shelves throughout the room. I tried to open the windows, but they were sealed shut. Using the luck I’d pulled from the guards, I pushed against the seal to make it budge. It didn’t help that I had no idea what was keeping it shut.
There was a knock at the door before a servant girl—er, fairy—opened it. She ushered Beth into the room and laid several dresses on the bed. Rich, frilly dresses I’d never wear in a million years. I moved away from the window, disappointed. I was sure I’d felt a slight shift near the latch.
“What’s going on?” Beth whispered.
“Oh, nothing. We’re just having dinner with the king and queen before we go to battle.” I stood still while the woman took measurements.
“Wh—what?” Beth held out her arms. “Are they insane? You don’t feed someone and then try to kill them.”
“They’re fairies. Things are different here, I guess.”
The woman gave me a sharp glance, but said nothing. She held up a stunning golden dress. “This will do for you. As for your friend … this will have to do.”
Beth made a face. “You want me to wear that?” It was brown, and the satin was rich, but it was definitely not something Beth would wear.
“Maybe we shouldn’t argue.” I found a curtain to change behind. The dress was form-fitting and hard to get into, but I had to admit, it was gorgeous. The neckline was a little lower than I’d normally wear, and the skirts were full, which made me feel like a princess. I’d need help with the ribbons in the back, though.
“That’s easy for you to say. Gold is your color.” Beth was silent for a moment, and I could hear the rustling of clothes. “What about this one?”
The woman clicked her tongue. “That is the queen’s least favorite color. I don’t suggest it.”
“Well, then, why is it in here? And how can she not like green? She’s a fairy. You’re all about nature, right?”
I came around the edge of the curtain, and the talking stopped. “What? Is it bad?” I looked down and made sure everything hung right.
“No, that was made for you. Wow. Jared’s going to flip. Along with every other guy in the castle.” Beth held up the green dress. “What do you think?”
“Perfect.” I readjusted my bust line, and the servant came over to help me tighten the ribbons.
Beth smiled triumphantly and went behind the curtain. While she was getting dressed, the woman attempted to brush through my hair. Sleeping on the ground and fighting several creatures hadn’t done great things to it. She swept it up into a knot in the back, and several strands stayed down. The locket from Jared gave me matched the dress well.
“Okay, how did you make these ribbon things work?” Beth came out, trying to reach her back. The green matched her personality. The skirt wasn’t as full as mine, and the bodice had intricate embroidery shaped like flowers.
The servant woman helped her, and then put her hair up as well. When the bell rang to signal the banquet, we were both ready to go. Two elves opened the door and we walked out, holding our skirts up so we wouldn’t trip.
We were led into a different hall, where several tables were set up. Many guests were already seated, including the king and queen. Adam and Jared were already seated at the table. Adam looked rather uncomfortable in his black suit, and his hair was slicked back—something Mom and Dad could never get him to do.
Jared’s eyes widened when he saw me. I had to admit, he looked pretty hot himself. He was in a white old-fashioned suit that fit him well across the shoulders.
He tried to stand, but the man next to him pulled him back down. I moved toward him, but Ethan swooped in.
“No, not there. That’s Beth’s spot. The king wants you up by them. As a guest of honor.” His eyes were dark and unreadable.
Jared’s disappointment was evident on his face, and it matched my own. I also couldn’t help but feel the panic at knowing I’d be next to two people who wanted to suck my powers dry. Ethan had to pull me up by them and help me sit down before taking his place behind the queen.
Beth caught my attention and raised her eyebrows, and I could only shrug. I had no idea what to do.
The food arrived, and it made my mouth water. Roasted chicken, turkey, puddings, fruits—everything I loved. Everyone began dishing up their food and eating. I stared at my plate, not knowing where to start. Something was tugging at my memory, and I couldn’t understand what was going on. I pulled on my luck to try to help me remember, but it kept slipping away. After trying several more times, my hunger got the best of me, so I picked
up a chicken leg.
It was just as juicy as I thought it would be. I couldn’t eat fast enough. I grabbed another leg, and another. When the plate in front of me was empty, I grabbed some dessert. The creaminess of the pudding reminded me of my mom’s back home.
Back home. Wait. Wasn’t I at home? Of course I was. I mean, I was dressed in my fairy gown, and here were all the other subjects. I shook my head. Subjects? Was I in school? Ugh, I needed my head to clear.
I looked around at my friends, and they seemed happy. They were in a daze, almost like they were asleep. Maybe they were. And by the looks of everyone else, my friends were the only ones affected. I frowned. Something was wrong.
There were conversations. Delightful ones. I remember laughing—vaguely. But I couldn’t remember anything that was said. I dipped my finger into the pudding on my plate and couldn’t help but take another serving.
The king said something to me, and I looked over, catching the triumphant look on the queen’s face. But I didn’t want her to look triumphant, right? I was pretty sure she was the one I was supposed to be fighting.
Another round of food came, and she offered me a peach. Her words were slurred, but maybe it was just the cloudiness of my mind.
Eoin suddenly appeared, and I couldn’t help laughing. Such a small leprechaun, with his red beard and scared expression. He yelled at me to stay away from the peach, and mentioned something about it being poisoned.
Things seemed to speed up at that point. The queen shrieked at the guards to take the leprechaun away. He fought them while the king looked between me and the queen with an angry expression on his face.
“Megan! Snap out of it! You should never have eaten any of it. It’s fairy food. You never eat food prepared by fairies!” Eoin screamed before they shoved a cloth in his mouth and dragged him away.
The pudding’s smooth, fruity taste turned to dust in my mouth. Eoin was supposed to warn me of … poison. He’d told me that in the forest. That’s what I’d been trying to remember.
“How could you?” the king shouted at the queen.
I looked over as Jakob snatched the peach from the queen and took a bite. He groaned, while the queen screamed at him. He gagged and fell to the floor. His eyes never left mine while he lay on the ground, shaking. I knelt on the floor next to him.
“Why did you do that?” I asked, hysterical. I had almost been poisoned, and he had taken it instead.
He smiled, his lips purple. “For you, love. You are the rightful queen. Take your place. Get rid of—” He shuddered one more time and went still.
The queen dropped next to me, sobbing. “No! Finvarra. You can’t leave me!”
I watched her, too stunned to move. I should run. Or wake up my friends. Or something. But I couldn’t. A guy who I didn’t think I’d even cared about just sacrificed himself for me. And why? I still didn’t understand.
The queen’s sobbing continued, and as I sat there, my head began to clear. I shifted, and the movement caught the queen’s attention.
She turned, and the fury and hatred in her eyes made me scramble to my feet. Her voice was low and angry. “You. You did this.”
“What? Me? You poisoned it!” I argued back.
She stood and stepped over the king. “You will pay for this.”
My luck seemed beyond reach, and I needed a weapon. I backed up, and found a knife next to my plate. I grabbed it and held it out on front of me, looking for a way to escape. Beth, Jared, and Adam were asleep at their spots, and the fairies had all scattered.
“Guys, wake up,” I called desperately. They wouldn’t move.
The queen’s laugh sent a shiver through me. “You won’t wake them up. They’re as good as mine now. You may have taken my king, but you have lost even more. And I’ll make sure you pay until I have taken every last precious thing that belongs to you.” She turned and stormed away without looking back.
MEGAN
My legs were shaking, and I almost collapsed. I’d faced a lot of bad things in the last few months, but nothing was as frightening as the madwoman who called herself queen. I tried to wake Beth, and then Adam.
“Come on, wake up.” I shook Jared next, but he just snored into his folded arms. I growled in frustration and looked around for an idea to wake them up. Ethan was gone, and Eoin was probably locked up, if not dead, from warning me about the poison—and it was my fault. I avoided looking at the king, who was still on the floor. No one had come to pick him up, for some reason.
I pushed my luck into my friends, but it didn’t do anything except make me tired. I let the tears of fear and anger flow freely. I wasn’t about to give up, but I was tired, and I needed help. I couldn’t do this on my own, no matter how much it bugged me to admit it.
After shaking them and yelling in their ears one more time, I left the dining hall and strode toward my room. I needed to change and grab my sword. I’d had enough of this.
As I picked up my clothes, something small dropped out of the pocket. Strange. There shouldn’t have been anything there except my cell phone.
I reached down and picked up the small fairy stone I’d bought in Ireland. How had that ended up in my pocket? I was sure I’d put it in one of my suitcases. I shoved it back in the pocket and changed before heading toward the prison. I really hoped I’d be able to find someone to help. I had no idea how long Beth and the others would be safe.
Okay, time to take stock of everything I had. I was missing a boyfriend, best friend, brother, mom, and all my leprechaun friends. I had a sword and a rock. Wow, I was prepared. Ethan was missing, and Jakob—no. I wasn’t going to go there.
A tear ran down my cheek, and I brushed it away angrily. I was pretty sure I was in shock—I’d just seen a guy die in front of me, after all—but I kept ignoring the sobs that threatened to come out. I couldn’t deal with it right now. I had too many other things to figure out.
The prison was easy to find, and even easier to break into. I should’ve been happy, but it put me on my guard. The prison was silent, which was strange. I expected people to be talking or something. I pulled on whatever luck I still had and crept forward.
There were many empty cells, making large hallways in the dark stone room. It would take five years to check each one, but my mom, Louie, and Patrika had to be in here somewhere. Along with O’Malley and the grey man. I shivered.
There was a rattling down the one of the hallways so I ran to the end. “Louie?”
A large creature who looked like a hag jumped up against the door and cackled. She reached out and swiped at me, and I leaped back against the other wall, screaming.
Hands grabbed my neck from behind. Large, muscular, sweaty hands. I yelped again and slid out before they could get a good grip.
That just made the hag cackle more as I sprinted around the corner and down several more rows. When the adrenaline wore off, I stopped and slid down the wall to calm myself. My heart was beating so hard, it made me nauseated. I rubbed my neck, trying to get the feel of those slimy hands off me. It was time for a new plan. Clearly, trying every cell was not a wise move. If I found more hags, their laughs would alert any guards to come running.
Once I could stand without my legs shaking, I pulled a torch off the wall and crept slowly down random rows. Before looking in a door, I would shine the torch in front of it. Most of the time, it was quiet, so I’d peek in to find sleeping trolls or fairies, but not my friends. One Chimera let out a loud roar, and I had to dart down several more columns before it stopped. This wasn’t going to work either.
It was time to focus. I stood still and closed my eyes for a moment to catch any noises I might have missed. It took a couple of minutes to get past the snorts and growls, but then I heard sniffling up ahead where the main hall branched off into several smaller hallways.
That had to be one of my friends. They wouldn’t be crying if they were evil, right? Of course, there was that troll behind me that looked like it had a cold, but that was more snorting and less s
niffling. I listened quietly at each cell, waiting for the sound to come again. “Hello?”
The sniffling stopped, and Eoin’s face appeared near a hole in one of the doors down the row from where I stood. “You came. How did you get out? No one escapes the fairies’ banquet.”
“You helped knock me out of my stupor. And then the queen was ticked off that Jak—the king died, so she stormed away. It was too easy, actually. I don’t like how poorly this place is guarded.” I played with the lock, pushing some of my luck into it until I heard it click. The door flew open, and Eoin fell to the ground. “Oops, sorry. Guess I should’ve told you to move. Come on—we need to find your parents.”
He jumped up and ran along with me as we searched the cells. Most were empty, but I found fairies and other creatures here and there. I let out the ones I could, but some of the locks had rusted shut. If I had more time, I probably could’ve opened the doors, but we had to leave.
Their cries to be released were weak, and it tore at me to leave them here. These creatures were probably guilty of nothing more than ticking off the queen. I asked the other fairies to try to get them out and moved on to the next one.
“Megan! Over here!” I heard Eoin’s voice and took off down a side hallway. He was trying to unlock a cell with small pieces of wire he’d found somewhere.
“Hold on.” I concentrated on my luck and played with the lock until it popped off. I kept Eoin behind me as I pulled the door open. I didn’t know what was in here, and I wasn’t about to lose him too. Louie and Patrika were inside, and looked up in surprise.
“You found us.” Louie stood and pulled Patrika up. They both looked paler than usual.
“Da! Mom! You’re okay!” Eoin squeezed past me and into his parents’ arms.
“What are you doing here?” Louie asked Eoin.
I heard a deep, rumbling bell outside. That couldn’t be good. “We’re saving you. He helped me figure out where you were. Listen, my mom is around here somewhere. Do you think you can find her?”
“You rescue the others. I’ll find your mother.” Louie pushed past us. I could see the color already coming back to him. When he noticed my look, he gestured toward the cells. “The cells block magic, then store what they can suck from you.”